I take a vacation usually once or twice a year, mostly for my family. I know some people use more vacation time, what with your holiday rentals being so alluring. It makes sense, but I love what I do, and it rarely seems like work. I worry about my patients when I am not there, even though I have another board-certified plastic surgeon available when I am away. No one knows my patients like I do, and if anything should happen, it is scary to see a stranger.

Since we expanded Yager Esthetics to 6000sf last year, and opened the Laser Center and expanded Medi-Spa, I am even busier. While I love being able to offer a full service center for Hispanic beauty, it is time-consuming to do right. I do not have nurses do consults, or medical assistants remove sutures and see patients after surgery. I do my own botox and injectable fillers, as I feel in order to control quality, I should see every patient at every visit.

The only downside to this is that after a year, I start to get a little tired. That is why I need a vacation. It is important to know your limitations. I can do a tremendous amount of surgery without losing focus or diminishing the excellence of my results. The key is to know when enough is enough. Plastic surgery in the Hispanic community is not just a method of making a living for me, it is my calling. To betray the trust of my patients is something I would never do for any amount of money. If I do not feel able to deliver the best possible result, I will always just say no.

I will be taking two weeks off to recharge my batteries, and be sure I will be ready to serve the community with renewed energy for the rest of the year. Plan your surgeries for October and November with confidence!